


Invisible Yet Vivid

by Fiery_Mullet



Series: IORiKU Countdown 2017 [1]
Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-15 16:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13035327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fiery_Mullet/pseuds/Fiery_Mullet
Summary: [For Tumblr user: 1o79 /kiiru_mi] Prompt: "Soulmate AU where you can write messages on your skin and your soulmate will see them."





	Invisible Yet Vivid

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vj_tear](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vj_tear/gifts).



**Invisible Yet Vivid**

"Nanase-san, please admit it already."

"But I told you already, I didn't do it!"

"Who else would've done it?! We were the only ones at the back seat and Banri-san was driving."

"But I didn't do it! I was asleep, too. You even complained about having to put a blanket on me."

"But there was no one else there. Besides, I've seen your handwriting enough times to recognize it."

"But I wrote it on my hand, not yours. Here, look!"

Riku showed the back of his hand to Iori.

"Yes, you've already shown me that. So there was no need to write it on my hand as well, was there? So please don't lie. Just admi..."

Iori paused mid way at the look of shock from Riku's face, which immediately faded into hurt before tears started welling at the corners of his usually bright crimson eyes.

"You're the only one..."

Riku said, voice slightly trembling.

"You're the only one I never wanted to hear those words from. I hate you, Iori!"

Riku looked away, but not before Iori could see the tear drops falling down his cheeks before he ran to his room and slammed the door.

Iori sighed.

"Oi, Iori what happened?" Mitsuki asked as he walked into their dorm's common room, holding a spatula and donning the apron Yamato bought for him on a whim with a topless muscle-man print. "Riku looked really upset just now. Did you two have another fight?"

"Nii-san. Sorry, it's just his joke went a little too far."

"What did he do?"

"Today, we were rushing to the next studio after our recording. But Nanase-san forgot his gloves and I didn't have mine with me so I went back to get them. When he was waiting for me, the recording engineer said they needed to talk to Banri-san about something but didn't have his business card on hand so he could only give him his number, but Nanase-san didn't have anything to write on either, so he wrote it on the back of his hand."

"Okay..."

"Because it was still a while before we got to the next studio, Banri-san said we should take a nap, since we've been working nonstop lately. Sometime when I woke up, I saw the number written on my hand too."

Iori held his hand up to show to Mitsuki, the exact same spot where the numbers were written at the back of Riku's hand.

"I wouldn't really mind if he was being childish and it was a simple prank. But I've been trying to wash it off and it wouldn't go away."

"Huh? What wouldn't? Where? I don't see it anymore."

"Eh? Nii-san, it's right here. Can't you see it?"

"See what? It's perfectly gone." Mitsuki frowned at him. "I don't know if you still see any tiny speck of remnants there, but that's probably just your perfectionist's eye. To me it looks squeaky clean. So don't worry about it too much. Go make up with Riku, okay? You know we're not supposed to stress him out."

"... Okay."

Now that was weird, Iori thought. The writing was still clearly there, as vivid as if Riku had just written it this very moment. But why couldn't his older brother see it?

He was going to insist further but he remembered that no one asked about it in the next studio they went to either. Writings on their hands would've been noticed by their sylists since it was a photo shoot. It was a winterwear outdoor shoot, and Riku thankfully had gloves on so no one saw it, but Iori didn't. And yet no one said anything.

He shook his head, thinking it was silly. Maybe his brother was just trying to make him feel better...? That was what he thought, until dinner time and none of them said anything about the number written in his hand either. As if they really couldn't see it. And that was really weird.

-x-

Later that night, Iori made warm milk with honey, and brought along a box of cookies knowing the older boy would probably be hungry if he woke up.

They all ate together except for Riku, who Yamato said was already asleep when he checked on him, dramatically adding that the poor kid had tear stains and probably cried himself to sleep while throwing meaningful looks at Iori. He grinned triumphantly when Iori offered to go check on their center later on.

He stopped outside Riku's room, hesitating for a second before knocking on the door.

"Nanase-san, it's me."

No answer.

Iori sighed, then smiled.

"I made warm milk with honey for you."

"... Come in.", came a muffled reply.

Iori balanced the pastel-colored tray sporting a dainty floral design with the milk and cookies on it on one hand as he reached for the knob with his other one. He stepped in and set the tray on the bedside table before sitting on the edge of Riku's bed. He tapped on the little blanket mound, where the older boy was curled up underneath and covered all the way to his head, his back towards Iori.

"Nanase-san, please drink the milk while it's warm."

Little movement, and ruffling, as Riku turned around.

"I put some extra honey in it."

Riku peeked a little under the teddy-bear printed comforters. Iori saw the older boy's eyes were a bit swollen and felt a little stab in his chest, knowing he had caused it. As Riku sat up, Iori reached for the mug and gently handed it over to him.

"Careful, it's hot."

Riku nodded, blowing on his drink a little before taking little sips until it was cool enough for him to drink. Neither of them said anything until Riku's stomach growled. Seeing the Trigger posters in Riku's room, Iori somehow felt that Kujo Tenn was giving him looks of reproach.

"Would you like to have these cookies for a light snack? Or do you want to eat dinner? I'll heat it up for you."

"Cookies..."

Riku meekly replied.

Iori opened the box of cookies before giving it to him. As he ate, the younger boy spoke.

"I'm sorry about today. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I really thought you were the one who wrote it..."

"But I didn't...!"

Riku weakly protested, looking like he was about to cry again, like a child being scolded by a parent.

"I believe you, Nanase-san." Iori said reassuringly, looking directly at his crimson eyes. " And after what happened tonight, I don't know what to think anymore. It's really weird."

"Weird?"

"That no one else can seem to see it."

"Huh?!"

Iori put his hand up, its back still with the phone number written on it, then with his other hand nimbly took Riku's hand with the same writing, the latter's hand still holding a bitten cookie.

"Look, it's still there, right? You and I can both see the writing clearly. But no one else can. Not just Nii-san and the others, but the studio staff earlier when we had the photo shoot as well."

Having the ability to ghosts, Riku didn't judge Iori for what he was saying. Being able to see things normal people weren't able to was nothing new to him. On the contrary, he completely understood how Iori must have felt.

As he tried to process all this in his mind, he didn't realize he was so lost in thought and hadn't spoken a word until Iori spoke again with a dejected tone.

"I know I've said hurtful things, but please let me make it up to you."

He took the vintage pen on Riku's bedside table- which he had given to Riku as a gift when the boy saw it at a Christmas bazaar they went to last year, and commented how it looked so much like the one Iori had, it would seem like they had a matching pair- and wrote on the back of his hand, below the number.

_'I'm sorry.'_

He held it up towards Riku, making the other chuckle.

Riku took the pen from Iori's hand, and was just about to write something at the back of his hand as well... however, the words he had intended to write appeared on the exact same spot Iori had written them on his own hand.

They looked at each other, wide-eyed.

-x-

After discovering that things they wrote on their own skin also appeared on the other's- and mysteriously seemed to be visible only to each other- it didn't take long for them to discover how to clean it up as well.

One busy morning before a TV guesting, while they were washing their face and brushing their teeth in small groups to cut down bathroom time, the 'Fly away' pair saw their marks come off as they washed their hands at the same time.

Since then, they've been exchanging messages for fun. Riku would write messages on a whim, especially when he wanted to talk to Iori but the other boy was either in school or had to do separate jobs.

_'You looked so uncool when you woke up this morning too. But so cute!'_

_'You looked so cool again in the magazine, so unfair!'_

_'I want warm milk later, can you make me one? Pleeease?'_

Iori tried hard to hide his amusement by chiding Riku and saying how ink wasn't good for the skin- and as idols it was one of their topmost priorities to keep their skin not just presentable but in the best shape possible, so that they would be marketable.

Riku didn't buy it, of course. He could tell that the younger boy was having just as much fun. He wasn't just replying to the things Riku wrote, now and then he initiated sweet and short messages as well, especially when they were in different job locations.

_'Please don't forget to eat, even when you're too busy.'_

_'Please tell manager when you feel tired, don't hold back.'_

_'Don't push yourself.'_

_'It's very slushy outside today, please watch your step.'_

It felt like they were kids exchanging secret messages.Riku paused at that thought. Kids...

He remembered a similar incident happening once before. After his older twin left with Kujo, Riku suffered his most severe attack to date.

During his long confinements, his recovery would always go smoother when his beloved Tenn-nii was by his side, holding his hand and telling him he was going to be okay. But the very person who gave him strength was no longer there.

One morning, when one of the nurses left her vintage pen on his bedside table after leaving in a rush, Riku took it and wrote the words Tenn would always say to him on the back of his hand.

_'You'll be okay.'_

When it became especially difficult to breathe, he would look at it and hear Tenn's voice. And then he'd feel stronger. Braver.

Then the next time he woke up, he saw a little rabbit face drawn beside his words. Seeing it made him smile- the first time he had done so since his older twin had left. It cheered him up every time he looked at it, and gave him the strength to keep going even when he felt alone and incomplete without his half who he had been together with all his life.

Riku smiled fondly at the memory. Reminiscing, it was probably no exaggeration to say that it was thanks to that bunny face written on his hand that he was able to move on and live a somewhat normal life, and eventually mustered the courage to pursue his dreams. Though the mark eventually disappeared, it was still very vivid in his heart.

He was so happy with his life right now he had nothing more he could ever ask for, except maybe that one thing. He wished that someday, he could meet the one who drew that rabbit on his hand and thank them.

-x-

While Iori was away on his school's ski trip along with Tamaki, unexpected words appeared on the back of his hand.

"You'll be okay..."

"Huh?" Tamaki asked from his seat beside him on the bus, after he unwittingly read the words aloud.

"Ah, nothing," Iori dismissed.

A minute later his phone vibrated with a message from Riku, apologizing as that message was meant for himself. He was a little nervous doing a guest appearance alone in the show he always appeared together with Iori in.

Iori then remembered the time when he was chosen as their school's representative in an inter-school competition. He was so nervous he even cried, and Mitsuki still teases him about it to this day as it was the first time he had ever seen his composed and too-mature-for-his-age younger brother cry.

When he woke up the next day, he saw these same words written on the back of his hand, and remembered how such simple words had given him so much courage. It cheered him up so much, he grabbed his favorite pen and drew a little rabbit face beside it. In the end, he bagged the championship.

He had always thought his brother was the one who secretly wrote that in his sleep, but he was too shy to bring it up and, to this day, was never able to properly thank him for it. And though the ink had long faded, the words were still so vivid in his memory. And so was the handwriting.

_'It can't be. But what if...'_

He hurriedly dialed his older brother's number.

"Iori, what's up? Did you and Tamaki make it to the ski resort already?"

"We're almost there. Nii-san, sorry it's so sudden but I have something I wanted to ask you. Do you remember the time I won that trophy for our school?"

"Yeah. You were so nervous the night before that you cried, haha"

"Did you, by any chance, write something on my hand back then?"

"Huh? Why would I? You know mom would yell at me if I did that. She always stressed the importance of clean hands since we bake."

"I figured. Sorry for asking so suddenly."

"No worries. You must've dreamt it. Enjoy your ski trip! But come back soon. Riku's acting tough, but everyone can tell he's really lonely without you."

Iori hung up, unable to hide his grin even from Tamaki who was oblivious to his surroundings most of the time.

-x-

When they got back, they were pleasantly surprised to see everyone welcome them home.

His brother made them hot chocolate with big pieces of marshmallows while Riku made pancakes. On Tamaki's, there was a King Pudding messily drawn with chocolate and strawberry syrup. And on his was a clumsily drawn bunny face, and only Iori could tell it was an attempt to copy the one he always drew as a child.

They spent the rest of the evening talking about the ski trip. After everyone else had retired to their rooms, only Iori and Riku were left as it was their turn to wash dishes that night.

Afterwards, he told the redhead to go ahead and take a bath first, so Iori stayed in the living room to watch TV as he waited for his turn. While absently switching between channels, his interest was piqued with the mention of writings on skin, as it was the same as what was happening between him and the older boy. The last known incident was between two friends who lived in the Taisho era.

According to a the account of a lady who worked as a nurse, her grandfather's late brother often told her the story of his best friend who he had such a connection with. But sadly, because of frail health, his best friend died young. She had only found out not too long ago that the pen that was passed down to her was just half of a pair- the other belonging to his best friend. And being someone who was already married with kids, she decided to sell it, hoping it would somehow get reunited with its half. She truly believed that the reason her grand uncle never married was because his best friend was his great love. So it would be great if their pens could lead fated lovers to find one another.

The next segment then showed a smartly dressed middle-aged British professor- the expert being interviewed- who stated this was a kind of phenomenon that only happened between soulmates, as the subtitles said.

Soulmates. Even Iori knew what that meant. Two people destined for each other. From their past lives, to their current ones. And perhaps beyond.

And his soulmate was Nanase Riku.

For some reason, it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. On the contrary, the thought of being together for the rest of their lives felt so... natural. He couldn't think of any other way to put it. And he certainly couldn't visualize his future without him in it.

When Riku came out if the bath, now dressed in fleece pajamas with black cat prints, Iori stared at him. Riku tilted his head to one side.

"Iori? Why are you staring at me?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking if we'll be together for the rest of our lives, I've got my work cut out for me."

"Eh?" Riku looked offended. "What, is it about the pancakes? Sure, it wasn't the most artistic but I poured my heart into it, ya'know?"

"Pa... Pancakes, huh." Iori sighed.

With a shy smile, Riku timidly explained that, to him, that bunny was something very special. But because it was also a sad story, he would save it for later.

Iori inwardly promised that when that time comes, he will also tell him who really wrote that bunny face in return.

"Then, Nanase-san. Please let me eat your pancakes for the rest of my life."

Riku let out an adorable little laugh, saying it sounded just like a proposal.

**The End**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Not mine, obviously. Original work is credited to Tsushimi Bunta and BNOI.
> 
> Huge thanks to 1o79 for being very supportive and sending in this prompt! It's my first time trying this kind of trope, but if you had fun reading it, then I'm happy ^^


End file.
